An exhibition showcasing finalists in the national 2023 Environmental Art and Design Competition is currently on display until 27 August across three venues on the Northern Beaches: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Space Gallery.
The exhibition, which is free, is open Tuesday to Sundays, 10am – 5pm across the three galleries.
A People’s Choice Award will be announced on Friday 25 August at 7pm at Manly Art Gallery.
This is the third year of the competition, which features nine categories ranging from sculpture to wearable designs to painting and photography.
The exhibition celebrates outstanding talent from 10 winning individuals and a school, chosen from 600 entries, who share a prize pool of $42,000.
Northern Beaches Council, which created the national competition, hosted the awards ceremony at Manly Art Gallery on 3 August.
The annual competition addresses themes of environmental awareness and responses to crises.
According to a Council spokesperson, “the non-acquisitive prize saw artist and designers be a part of conversation around the world’s most pivotal topics – the complexities of environmental challenges in the 21st century and innovative ideas for the future around the natural world, environmental regeneration and the circular economy in their works.”
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins said, “The exhibition presents responses from artists and designers which reflect on our environment and the crucial issues facing us and our climate…
“These thought-provoking works, covering a breadth of issues, make an important contribution to the national conversation about how we can work collectively towards a better future for ourselves and our children.”
She added, “Artists and designers are agents of change; often taking the lead in responding to environmental or societal challenges.
“The Environmental Art & Design Prize has brought together a dynamic community of artists, designers and audiences who care deeply about our future. Their works speak volumes about not only about their creativity but the underlying reasons we created this national prize.”
This year’s prize winners are:
Ceramics and Small Sculpture: Shani Nottingham, Cowra, NSW
Film: Perdita Phillips, Fremantle, WA
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Kandos School of Cultural Adaptation, Bulli, NSW
Painting and Mixed Media: Grace Kemarre Robinya, Alice Springs, NT
Works on Paper and Photography: Belinda Yee, Balmain
Wearable Design: Adelash Parsons, Surry Hills
Functional Design: Jack Stannard, Balgowlah
Young Artists and Designers (7-12 years): Joint Winners:
Charles Whitehead, North Curl Curl; Isabella Niu, Roseville; Imogen Maddison, Chatswood; Rafferty Stanley, Fairlight
Young Artists and Designers (13-18 years): Joint Winners:
Charlotte Yan, Northern Narrabeen; Jasper Hartman, Coogee
View the winners’ works and learn more about the competition on Council’s website.
Environmental Art and Design competition exhibition
When: 4 – 27 August; Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Where: Manly Art Gallery and Museum (West Esplanade Reserve, Manly); Curl Curl Creative Space (105 Abbott Road, North Curl Curl); Mona Vale Creative Space Gallery (Village Park, 1 Park Street, Mona Vale)
Admission: Free
An opportunity to meet the artists and designers takes place at Mona Vale Creative Space on 19 August between 2 – 3pm.
